Arrows rained from overhead. Whizzing by the idle elite as he proudly stood in front of his men. Light defenders lifted their shields over their beasts and men, protecting everyone from the attack.
Right as the volley ended, Struto lunged forward and caught an arrow. He carefully brought it closer to his helmet. Inspecting it through his golden visor.
The sounds of metals clashing and warriors dying echoed in his ears. It resonated with his origins as a baby born during conflict. A birth he prides himself with.
He slowly turned around, arrow still directed towards him. Before stopping to face the advancing forces, he carefully pointed the tip away from his forces.
"TIL DAWN!" His prideful voice screamed.
Thousands of weapons sprung to life as they emerged from their sheathes. Splitting the air with their sharp hums. Beasts stomped and roared. Displaying their true natural powers.
As one, the forces pushed forward. Starting with the defenders. Those outside parted away from the gates. Allowing the incoming defenders' push to be enough to drive the Infinus forces back.
Surprise and confusion filled the minds of many warriors as they were quickly pushed off their balance. Landing on their backs, helpless as their executioners readied them for their impending deaths.
Hizentre and Suth adapted to this appropriately. They stomped their feet, anchoring them in place as they lowered themselves. Weapons on the ready, waiting to collide with fury.
Yinmars rushed close behind the defenders. Digon shook as their mighty bodies paraded the skies, showing the frightened Infinus Legion their natural nature.
Warriors struggled to get away as each beast stomped over them. Bones and armor, crushed. Blood tainted the mountain pink. Leaving memories where the warriors struggled.
Calling upon distant creatures to come feast on the aftermath. One of which was Valentine.
He desperately tried his hardest to attack. But each attempt was in vein. The blood would mysteriously vanish, leaving no trace of it existing. Further feeding into his theory.
Upon confronting the stampede of Yinmars, Hizentre and Suth unleashed vigorous attacks to repel the incoming beasts.
Yinmars brushed off each flail swipe. Chains effortlessly slid off the thick fur, while the main flail got caught inside the jungle of frost defenses.
"We need to do something about those Yinmars," Pearl's desperate voice cut between her cold tune. "I can tell these ones were made specifically for combat."
Valentine and Ether locked eyes. Both warriors nodded in agreement. After their silent plan was settled, Ether turned to look at his wife.
"Pearl, I love you, and I trust you. So please, stay back here and away from them. Me and Valentine will handle them. From here, I want you to resume control of our forces while we're gone," Ether's soft voice drifted off.
While the duo began to walk away, Pearl grabbed Ether's gauntlet. "No, let me go instead. Since I got in this Legion you have suffered injuries in almost every battle. I don't want to lose you."
Valentine stopped, his eyes caught the two lovers in their sight. "Pearl, your mate trusts you to lead the rest of our forces. But do you trust him in surviving?"
Realizing he was right, she let go of Ether. Despite how much she tried to reach back and hold her partner closer, she forced herself not to. Valentine was right.
One of the strongest weapons is trust. When that trust is tested, the wound it deals only gets deeper.
As Ether marched away from her, she felt herself alone in the world again. Digon's breeze flowed through her, giving her an assuring cold shiver. Understanding her situation.
Not wanting to leave her allies defenseless, Pearl's gaze turned up the mountain. She glared at the Yinmars and defenders, spiting them for wanting to harm her people and claim her mountain.
"I have lost enough to the Light Legion. Archers," her voice echoed. "Take their lives."
Fingers let go of arrow strings, sending their projectiles into the skies above. Casting the shadow over Valentine and Ether.
Blood engulfed Valentine. It hardened and crystalized, shifting its texture and appearance into crushed ice crystals.
Tellendor roared awake, sending a surge of adrenaline through Ether's body. One not meant to stoke fear into his heart, but to wake the courage inside.
A Yinmar caught Suth by her torso, lifting her up using its trunk. It bellowed as it threw her down the mountain.
Valentine used the blood in the snow to create a soft bed for Suth to land on. Saving her from enduring a hardy fall.
Both Variants jumped to clash with the Yinmars at the same time. While Hizentre caught their attention.
Ether drove Tellendor's tip into one's hide. Doing nothing other than enraging the behemoth. It stood on its hind legs, challenging Ether to a duel.
He quickly jumped on the beast's back. Digon seemed distant to him, yet he shrugged it off. Focusing his attention on the biggest threat present to him: the Yinmar below.
Using the new striking techniques Decka taught him, Ether got to work. One fist closed as the other held down a lump of fur that stood above the creature's head.
Pairing his dominant position with his upper body twisting to give more strength to his punch caused the Yinmar to bellow in pain. Realizing the creature lifted its neck, he brought one of his legs under.
It wrapped like a snake, allowing Ether to have a firm top position to orchestrate attacks from. Blow after blow, he could hear the sound of durable metal damaging thick bone.
Valentine slammed both fists onto the ground, causing an eruption of blood. It pulsed around him before disappearing from that same cyan light.
But the loophole he found allowed him to use physical attacks with his Third Rule. Giving him a fighting chance against the Yinmars.
One beast wrapped its trunk around him before slamming Valentine into the snow. The crystalized blood erupted upon impact, sending shards into the beast's fur.
He flicked his lower body, allowing him to get back up in an instant. One hand reached out for one of the shards. From it, one large hammer grew.
The same Yinmar came in for an attack, this time with its arms. It got on its hind legs and swung one of its arms, missing Valentine completely. He got up, swinging the hammer upwards with him.
It struck the trunk, opening the Yinmar's mouth for a little while. Something Valentine took advantage of by sending in small amounts of blood inside.
Moments later, that same Yinmar exploded into a pile of gore and white fur. Showering the nearby Yinmars and defenders.
Realizing he earned himself a perfect opportunity to claim many lives, Valentine manipulated the blood to turn into sharp daggers growing inwards. Stabbing everything caught inside.
Defenders dropped dead. Just as Ether jumped off his Yinmar, landing in the middle of the massacre.
He fixed his gaze to see what was happening in front of them. Struto jumped down from his post above the walls. A large, dominant frame lifted itself to reveal his golden visor staring at them.
"Infinus, your kind doesn't take defeat as an answer... for that I respect you. But you dawn different colors and pledge allegiance to wrong leaders, so your heads are next to roll off," Struto's cold voice threatened.
Cemtrin stormed through the gates. Snow came loose as their furious footsteps struck fear deep into the hearts of their opponents.
"We can't hold off beasts. Not alone, at least. We need to rally with our forces down the mountain," Valentine's calm voice suggested.
Ether turned to face his advisor. "I am lucky to have a partner that wants me alive. Or else I would have attempted to strike them down as one."
Both Variants sprinted down. Suth was already almost behind friendly lines. Pearl noticed the fleeing forces, her heart began to beat faster and faster. The unmistakable fear of losing Ether caught up to her.
"Risk, go up there and with your Ferals, hold them off!" She ordered.
"Finally, something to do! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" His hyper voice kicked up.
Hizentre leapt forward, trying to distance himself from the beasts before turning around. His eyes narrowed as his hands reached down to his chest, resuming the final action he had paused.
One powerful swipe of his flail halted the advance of the beasts. But the time they had free was minimal. They shrugged off the attack like the wind.
More arrows loomed overhead. Raining down on the fleeing warriors as they tried their best to not get struck or caught by a beast.
The sound of whizzing arrows and crunching snow played a sick anthem for the trio as they tried to escape. But it did almost nothing to stop the now-enraged creatures.
Risk tried to encourage his Ferals to help keep their allies alive. But they weren't designed to withstand such temperatures and climate.
Ferals refused to break apart from their group hugs, others refused to engage in their current state, while others had their strength drained from them. Leaving them unable to attack.
"This is all going wrong, Pearl. The best course of action would be retreating," Suth suggested.
Dread filled her heart. Pearl wasn't ready to retreat, not until Digon was theirs. But she understood continuing would mean the possible end of their Legion's leaders.
"Get the Sky Beasts ready," she replied